Category Archives: General

Leaders are Mentors

We can all learn from someone

I apologize for the problem with the post this morning. Issues have been fixed. If you see anything that’s not working correctly, let me know. Thanks!

Whether purposefully or not, leaders are mentors. As the term “leaders” implies, they are usually at the forefront of the action. And the younger and/or less experienced people in the workforce look to them for guidance. What exactly is a mentor? Well, Dictionary.com gives us this short and sweet rendition:

Mentor-a wise and trusted counselor or teacher

You can mentor someone on purpose. There are formal programs that have well-developed strategic plans and goals for these relationships. You can also mentor someone informally through your daily actions. You might not even know that you’re being observed, but leaders are hard to ignore.

Want a chance to be a mentor or a mentee? Consider starting a mentor program in your organization or in your local area. Even if it’s a group of two (mentor and mentee), it’s still worth the effort if both parties have clear expectations and “feed” the relationship regularly. And if you prefer not to start your own, then check out the mentor program that NASHRM has put together.

Have tips for developing a mentor program or on how to get the most out of the relationship? Leave a comment below so everyone can learn from your experience.

A 1000:1 Ratio is a Problem

I bet you have a process at your company to reprimand employees. You probably cover everything from verbal and written reprimands all the way to suspensions. I\’m quite certain that every organization has a way to notify employees when they are performing poorly.

With that said, does your organization have a way to commend employees for a job well done? Aside from a short and sweet â€œattaboyâ€ or â€œattagirl,â€ do you have a way to show your appreciation in a written format?

I\’ve seen hundreds (thousands?) of reprimands. I\’ve seen a single commendation. That leads me to two possibilities. One, there really aren\’t any other staff members who deserve being commended for performing well (not likely). Or two, there aren\’t any supervisors willing to commend someone for doing well (quite likely).

Or maybe it\’s more benign, and the supervisors really don\’t know the power of a short note letting someone know that he/she knocked it out of the park.

Whatever the cause, it\’s a problem that needs to be addressed. I\’m willing to bet that many of you work in companies that are similar. Check out your ratio. I don\’t think you should be praising your employees daily for every little action, but when someone really takes up the slack and goes above and beyond, then it really wouldn\’t hurt to show some appreciation.

Photo by Sidelong

RocketHR is Born

Social media is growing, and there’s no end in sight. Recently, Kris Dunn came and spoke to my local SHRM chapter about social media and its uses for HR professionals.Â It’s interesting that he was slated to come in August, because I had proposed a chapter blog shortly before then. I envisioned something like the work that Stephen has done with HR Gumbo, but probably not as awesome. Anyway, a few weeks of frenzied work behind the scenes led to the current site.

One potential issue was that we weren’t sure how the blog would play out in the long run. What if I moved away? What if I suddenly hated blogging? To smooth that wrinkle, I promised updates every week on Monday, since most of the people reading wouldn’t be able to keep up with more than that. After a year, we will reassess and see if we can draw in more writers, because I would like to do more with the chapter in a hands-on capacity whenever possible.

And RocketHR was born.

I’m hoping that it can be used as social media “training wheels” for the members of the chapter (and anyone else out there who’s delving into SM for the first time). The first posts are directed toward those fresh faces, so make sure and point people in that direction if you think they can learn something useful!

Have someone you’re trying to convert to social media? The post on the social web might be helpful as a primer.
Need to explain Google Reader to someone? Keep the Google Reader tutorial close at hand.
Know something that might be useful to someone new to the social media space? Leave a comment!
Are you new to this stuff? If so, then please let me know what you’d like to learn!

And as always, any assistance in promoting this new blog would help greatly in proving its worth as a tool for my local chapter. Thanks!

And the snazzy logo was created by my good friend Allen Robinson (@logicwriter).

Guest Post Blitz #2

Hold on for dear life!

I’m notorious for being unorganized, but I have several guest posts that went live (fairly recently) elsewhere that you may have missed. Some of them might be a bit different flavor than the usual UpstartHR offerings, so be sure to check them out!

CAREEREALISM – 4 Tips from an HR Insider

JT at CAREEREALISM worked with me when I was trying to land a job earlier this year, and she invited me to join the TAP program shortly afterward. If I ever decide to leave my current position, she’s going to get a call from me!

Lighter Side of HR – Leaving Work Stress Behind

Connie at Halogen hit me up for a post, and I certainly couldn’t turn her down. Sometimes it’s tough writing HR all the time, and I’m a runner at heart, so it was nice to get outside the bubble and write something that can help people in a different way.

HR Gumbo – 3 Reasons to Join Your Local SHRM Chapter

This one is the oldest of the bunch, but I don’t think I ever gave it the link love that it deserved. If you’re not a member of your local SHRM chapter, you could be missing out on a lot. I’m neutral on the value of the national SHRM organization, but the local one has been indispensable for me. Be sure to tune in Wednesday when I unveil the new local chapter blog I’ve been working on!

If you missed the original Guest Post Blitz, feel free to check it out now. I was able to wrangle five other HR bloggers into letting me write for their blogs. Check back Wednesday for more fresh content!

Image courtesy of &_yo.

Why You Need HRevolution

Check out the quotes below. All of them have come from conversations I’ve had recently with HR professionals in my local area.

I’d love to learn more about social media and technology, but I’m just too swamped at work.
We’ve wanted to start a blog for some time now, but we just weren’t sure how to get started.
There is so much communication lacking in our organization. Nobody knows what the heck is going on.

Technology is changing our lives. It can make you more productive, effective, and intelligent–if you are willing and able to use it.

Want to learn how? Sign up to attend the HRevolution event now!

Having trouble communicating across a far-flung organization? There’s something for that. Difficulties with people sending mass emails toÂ those who really don’t even need to see them? There’s something for that. Want to get out of your little box and actually interact with the employees under you? Yes, there’s something for that, too. But if you spend all of your time just trying to stay afloat in the paperwork and policy manuals, you’ll never be able to break the cycle. I guess you’re just stuck, right?

Not really. That’s why you (and so many others in your exact same situation) need HRevolution. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a learning experience. It’s going to be a networking event on steroids.

You need an HRevolution.

Squeeze the Network

When I have a tough question that can’t be answered by someone nearby, I turn to my network, and it’s come through for me so many times. Technology increases the size of that network tenfold.

Thrive on Challenge

If you start delving into technology and social media, the rest of your HR department might think you’re a bit crazy. Don’t try to convert them all at once. Pick one person who is most favorable to technology use and help him/her with a problem by using technology or social media. Focus on turning that one person into a champion for your cause, and they will go out and promote the idea for you!

In that vein, I’ve been working closely with a coworker on a few projects. When he learned of the pending HRevolution, he was ecstatic. Want the input of someone from outside the organizing committee? Here’s what he had to say:

I am looking forward to attending the HRevolution conference. There is great benefit to exploring social media, blogging and the value it can add to our organizations. I believe that HRevolution will help bring focus to like-minded HR professionals that are looking to modernize their organizations and potentially revolutionize their HR departments.

Ditto.

Reignite that Spark

I talk to a lot of HR professionals. Many are burned out and tired of the “same old thing.” While not all have turned into curmudgeons yet, there are quite a few who need a spark of creativity. They need someone to push them to grow continually. Maybe it’s you? If so, there’s no better cure than learning new and exciting ways to accomplish your goals.

What if your company had a tool that let it communicate with its employees? And what ifÂ they got to communicate back? What if you want to get your own voice out there, but you don’t know how to start your own website or don’t have time to figure out how to set up a blog? Sound interesting? Want to know more?

Then take a stand. Let your voice be heard. Join the HRevolution.

HRevolution logo (and the flattering quote) courtesy of Allen Robinson (@logicwriter), as cool of an HR cat as they come.

My Parents Had it Right

I grew up working for my parents. Even when I was young, I was helping out around the office of their small business. I learned so much about how the world works firsthand, and I would never take anything for those experiences. I also learned things about management and leadership that I carry with me today.

My dad, wife, and brother at a triathlon

My wife, dad, brother, and I at a triathlon

Work Hard, Get Rewarded

I can\’t remember a week going by where they didn\’t have a rush job to get out the door. Screaming customers and scurrying workers made up the sights and sounds of those frantic days. But it wasn\’t always 110% hard-driving insanity. When the employees had to work late, I\’d often carry them a plate of homemade food from the house. When they had to get there before dawn, I would make a biscuit run to keep them going. And the pizza lunches? I can still remember them fondly. Working your tail off was expected, but you knew that they would still take care of you (especially food-wise!) during those times.

Dive Right In

Remember those frantic times I mentioned? Some people probably figured the boss would be sitting high above, shouting orders and waving frantically to the lowly employees on the floor. Actually, it would have been pretty tough to do that kind of thing while he was working side-by-side with them. I can remember someone telling me one time that it must have been nice to have the employees doing the work for him. I\’ve never laughed so hard in my life. My dad\’s been there at some time between six and seven in the morning every day since I can remember, and he was often that guy who stayed late to finish something and deliver it to a customer. And getting a call at 11:45pm to come pick up a job? He’d be out the door within minutes. People respect someone who can not only talk the talk but also walk the walk.

Being a manager is easier than being a leader.

I know others have talked before about their first jobs. Do you have a story that you\’d like to share?

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